Urugal
Ethnicity The use of the word Urugal is primarily meant to represent a person of the Urugal ethnicity. The Urugal people are historically desert nomads who wandered the wastelands both north of and south of the Durani Empire. Jahnu Khan was a chief of Clan Uruk (an Urugal clan) prior to discovering the Gudanna Arcanum and essentially joining himself with the ethnic Gudanna people to form the Gudanna Dominion. Currently the most prominent Urugal clan is Clan Sunu, led by Bijin. Bijin gave up his daughter, Izvari, into fosterage to Jahnu Khan in order to avoid hostilities between Clan Sunu and the emerging Gudanna Dominion. Other Urugal clans exist such as Clan Raza (one family of whom makes up the Marrow Crows Mercenary Band). The characteristics of the Urugal people is that they are historically nomadic. They wandered the wastelands, carefully using the resources of one area for a limited time before moving on in order to not over-stress and thusly destroy the ability of an area to support them. They revere the cycle of birth-death-rebirth and respect the bones of their dead, collecting them and sometimes fashioning them into golems (see Arcanum below). Traditional Urugal people cover their skin with magically adherent white ash. This originally was a protection from the desert sun but now had become a symbol of a traditionalist. Traditional men frequently shave their heads as well. In traditional Urugal clans there is a complex ritual of adulthood which involves total body tattoos. These tattoos represent both clan membership and the role that the new adult is expected to take in the Clan. Urugal priests apply these tattoos to youths over multiple sessions as the process is know to be extraordinarily painful, associate with blood loss and with powerful visions. In current times the Urugal people are no longer all nomadic. While some nomadic groups still exist the many (majority?) have been absorbed by either the Gudanna Dominion or the Durani Empire. The majority ethnic Urugal in these settings are lower class citizens looked down on and not trusted by others in society. They are seen as unclean and unsavory. The association with death and bones clings to them and many are referred to as 'Bone Merchants' even if they do not actively engage in this trade. Despite the deprecation they receive for being bone merchants, this is actually a respected role in Urugal society. A small portion of Urugal who have given up their traditional ways are members of the Mercanary Kings, with a wide variety of proclivities, level of honor and diverse motivations. Urugal Characters: Vhal Kitra Izvari Pilu the Withered Associated Ancient Ones: Urugal Har-Ten, the Warrior Urugal Zas-Sai, the Black Locust Urugal Iseza-Ukutu, the Savage Star Arcanum The use of the word Urugal can also refer to a golem or golem knight of the Arcanum Urugal. These golems are crafted from the bones and magically animated. The ability to both craft these golems and to ride them primarily (exclusively?) appears in those of the Urugal ethnicity.